MigrantoLatvian Diaspora
161K Latvians live abroad — 9% of the population of Latvia
Latvian diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 49% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Russia | 38075 |
| Ireland | 20840 |
| Ukraine | 20086 |
| Norway | 11774 |
| Sweden | 11474 |
| Belarus | 10211 |
| Estonia | 6143 |
| Lithuania | 6029 |
| Denmark | 5985 |
| Canada | 4608 |
| Italy | 3700 |
| Israel | 3668 |
| Australia | 3247 |
| Iceland | 2902 |
| Finland | 2868 |
| Belgium | 2466 |
| Poland | 1286 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 859 |
| Kazakhstan | 777 |
| Luxembourg | 759 |
| Chile | 695 |
| Malta | 398 |
| Greece | 379 |
| Bulgaria | 300 |
| Portugal | 263 |
| Hungary | 229 |
| Slovakia | 216 |
| Georgia | 211 |
| Cyprus | 171 |
| Venezuela | 125 |
| Moldova | 96 |
| Slovenia | 73 |
| South Africa | 52 |
| Croatia | 22 |
| Guinea | 19 |
| Liechtenstein | 7 |
| Costa Rica | 1 |
| Bolivia | 0 |
By region
91% of the diaspora lives in Europe
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Key facts
The Latvian diaspora in numbers
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 53% to 24%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
5 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Norway, Denmark, Iceland. Norway climbed from outside the top 20 to #4.
1 in 12 people born in Latvia lives abroad
161K people born in Latvia now live in other countries — 8.6% of a population of 1.9M.
Latvian diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 181952 |
| 1995 | 186182 |
| 2000 | 184708 |
| 2005 | 183414 |
| 2010 | 183282 |
| 2015 | 175523 |
| 2020 | 166868 |
| 2024 | 161014 |
Largest communities over time
Latvians living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Russia | Ireland | Ukraine | Norway | Sweden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 95730 | 575 | 20185 | 15 | 1412 |
| 1995 | 100686 | 860 | 21108 | 130 | 1945 |
| 2000 | 101991 | 2393 | 22289 | 326 | 2268 |
| 2005 | 95839 | 11143 | 20366 | 691 | 2651 |
| 2010 | 86572 | 19183 | 19432 | 2731 | 4410 |
| 2015 | 66994 | 19130 | 19497 | 9541 | 6771 |
| 2020 | 50955 | 19924 | 19821 | 10589 | 8708 |
| 2024 | 38075 | 20840 | 20086 | 11774 | 11474 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Latvians in each country has changed since the selected year
Latvians among immigrants in other countries
Where Latvians make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Latvians live outside Latvia?
Around 161K Latvians live abroad, the world's #139 largest diaspora.
Where do most Latvians abroad live?
Most Latvians live in Russia, Ireland and Ukraine — these three countries account for about 49% of all Latvians living abroad.
Which country has the largest Latvian population outside Latvia?
Russia is home to the largest Latvian community abroad — 38.1K people, about 24% of all Latvians living abroad.
What share of the population of Latvia lives abroad?
About 9% of the population of Latvia lives abroad — that's 161K out of a total population of 1.9M.
Is the Latvian diaspora growing?
No — over the past decade, the number of Latvians living abroad has fallen from 175.5K to 161K, about 8%.
Where does the data on the Latvian diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Latvia who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in Latvia
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